Choosing/Registering a Name for Your Business (Malaysia)

It’s always important to choose and register a name for your business that both represents what your company does and believe in. I’m not sure how it works in other countries; but when you apply for a business name in Malaysia through Suruhanjaya Syarikat Malaysia (SSM) – known as Companies Commission of Malaysia, there are a couple of things you have to keep in mind. And if this is your first time choosing a name for your business, I hope you will find this post helpful.

Firstly, if you are doing it online, log on to SSM E-Lodgement Servicesand click on Application for Business Name Approval (ROB) under the Business (ROB) Category. You will be led to fill up a form online. The form would require three (3) name options which you would like to choose for your business. Always put your highest preference at the top, followed by the rest of your options. Only put names which you can live by (just in case it ever get selected). You’ll have to pay RM10 to apply for your business name. Application of business name does not mean that you have registered your business.

There are two (2) types of name which you can register for your business: Personal Name and Trade Name. Personal Name herein refers to your full name as per written in your Identification Card. So if your name is Christopher Lee and you register your Personal Name as a business name, your business will now be known as Christopher Lee. Application for Personal Name is much easier as there is no need for approval from SSM (not sure if this still applies if there is someone with the exact same name in the country). There is one downside to this though: Anything that happens to your business will be reflected greatly on your name – the good and bad of all. This is something that most people would try to avoid.

As for Trade Name, it is a must to obtain approval from the Registrar of Businesses of the Companies Commission of Malaysia before you can register the name. It could be something as simple as 123 Enterprise or World Trading Company, but there are conditions on which these names will be based on when applying for approval. Here are some of them:

Name of business which does not reflect nature of business operated.

Name used by other business owner.

Usage of a personal name which is not the actual name of owner.

Usage of words prohibited by the Registrar.

Names subjected to the Registration of Businesses Rules 1957.

For example, I tried applying for the Trade Name – Cybermate’s Dungeon – but the word ‘cyber’ is prohibited by the Registrar. Thus I have to change it to something else and re-apply again. Besides that, SSM will then look through your application and cross out the rejected names based on the following (excerpt from Rule 15 of the Registration of Businesses Rules 1957 -Amendment 2002).

contains any word suggesting a connection with the Yang Dipertuan Agong, the Raja Permaisuri Agong or the Ruler of a State or a member of the Royal Family or Royal patronage including such words as “Royal” or any equivalent expression;

contains any word suggesting a connection with the Federal or a State government department, statutory body, authority or agency or any municipality or other local authority, including such words as “Federal”, “State” or “National”;

contains any word suggesting a connection with any Asean, Commonwealth or other foreign government or with the United Nations or any other international organisations;

contains the word “Chartered” or any word suggesting a connection with any Society or body incorporated by Royal Charter;

contains any word that is blasphemous or likely to be offensive to members of the public;

contains any word that is misleading as to the nature, scope or importance of the business carried on or to be carried on under such name;

contains any word that is offensive to any race or religion.

These are only some of the general guidelines which you should be aware of when choosing a name for your business. Other guidelines apply, depending on the industry which you are planning to step into. If you have applied online, you can check your status via www.gov.my website. After you have logged in, click on MyHome > Online Transaction and you will be able to check the status of your application there. Alternatively, you can always apply on the spot at any SSM branches near you. It only requires less than an hour of your time, so head on to the nearest SSM branch to get your business name registered!

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Disclaimer: Cybermate's Dungeon is a personal imaginative playground of Gina Yap Lai Yoong. Some of the works showcased on this site were created while working under her past and present fulltime employer(s), who solely own the rights to these materials. Unless mentioned otherwise, all contents provided are originally by the author and shall not be republished in any channels, forms or medium without prior written permission.
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